Church Of St Lawrence

Church of St Lawrence

This is a parish church of 13th, 14th and 15th-century date, restored in 1789 and repaired in 1869. It is built of dressed coursed rubble and ashlar with red brick and render, and has slate roofs with the nave being hipped.

The building comprises a tower with spire, nave, aisles, south porch, north porch (now vestry), and chancel. The tower is set on a chamfered plinth and has a moulded band over. It is of three stages with bands, a corbel table and broach spire. The spire has two tiers of four lucarnes, the lower tier having two lights. The west face has a moulded and chamfered arched doorway with hood mould and 19th-century label stops, and a single ogee arched light over with hood mould. The north side has a single 13th-century lancet, while the south side has a single similar but larger lancet and three rectangular stair lights. The four arched bell chamber openings each have two arched lights with plate tracery and hood moulds. Under the south and north openings are single clock faces.

The north aisle has a rendered west wall with a single restored 14th-century arched two-light window with reticulated tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. The north wall of the aisle has a single similar window lacking the left label stop, and a projecting rendered vestry to its left. Above this is a single 14th-century arched two-light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and label stops. To its left is an inner double chamfered arched doorway with hood mould, human head label stops and an 18th-century panelled door. Further left is a single 14th-century arched two-light window with reticulated tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. The east wall has a single 14th-century two-light window with reticulated tracery under a flat arch.

The clerestory contains five pointed segmental arched 15th-century three-light windows with cusped panel tracery, hood moulds and label stops.

The chancel is rendered and set on a plinth to the north. It has two 14th-century arched windows each with two ogee arched and cusped lights, hood mould and label stops, the left one being smaller. The east end is set on a deeper plinth and has a single restored arched three-light 15th-century window with cusped panel tracery, hood mould and label stops. Above is a plaque inscribed "Repaired in MDCCLXXXIX IK". The south chancel has a single window corresponding to the north. To its left is a single 14th-century window with two ogee arched and cusped lights and cusped tracery under a flat arch. Adjacent to this wall are a single 18th-century and two 19th-century slate headstones by Walkers, Winfield and other masons.

The south aisle has an east wall of ashlar and render with a single early 14th-century arched two-light window with Y tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. Adjacent are two 18th-century and two 19th-century slate headstones, one by Winfield and one by Archer. The south wall has a single similar window with hood mould and the remains of a single label stop. To the left is a rendered and gabled porch with moulded arched entrance. The inner chamfered arched doorway has hood mould and human head label stops. Further left is a single arched 14th-century window with two arched lights, a single quatrefoil, hood mould and human head label stops. The west wall has a single 14th-century arched two-light window with reticulated tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. The clerestory corresponds to the north.

Interior

The interior features an early 13th-century south arcade of five bays with circular columns. The westernmost column has a moulded capital. The column to its east has waterleaf moulding, while the capital further east is decorated with a single human head at each corner, from each mouth sprouting foliate tendrils. There is a band of nailhead over this. The easternmost capital has stiff leaf moulding with a band of nailhead over. All arches are double chamfered.

The north arcade is of 14th-century date with five bays. It has octagonal columns with moulded capitals and double chamfered arches. The eastern respond is a carved human head with broach stops to the outer chamfer.

The tower arch is double chamfered with octagonal responds with moulded capitals. The chancel arch is double chamfered with plain jambs, the inner order being supported on carved human heads.

The north chancel wall has the remains of a foreshortened moulded arched tomb recess. The south aisle south wall has a chamfered arched piscina. Two carved oak chests are present, with remaining furniture being of 19th or 20th-century date. The font is 19th-century octagonal with quatrefoil panels.

Wall monuments include a slate tablet to Anne Borrow dated 1799 in the south aisle, with the apron and crown both decorated with single shields. The memorial to Thomas Borrow, 1773, has a decorative shield on the apron and a single decorative urn on the crown flanked by two smaller urns. The memorial to John Barrow, 1707, has a shaped crown topped with a segmental pediment surmounted by a small urn.

Two 18th-century slate wall tablets are present. The memorial to Samuel Martin, 1775, has a small shield on the apron and an urn surmounting the crown, with a slate tablet bearing biblical text beneath.

The east chancel has a wall tablet with moulded surround to Gergii Loxcroete, 1619, with a similar tablet above surmounted by a painted shield. A memorial to John Bridges, 1710, is flanked by single Corinthian pilasters supporting a segmental pediment topped with a decorative shield. A carved angel's head supports the apron.

The west chancel wall has a memorial to John Foxcroft, 1662, where the inscription is surmounted by a broken pediment containing a decorative shield.

The north wall has a memorial to John St. Andrew and his wife, 1625. The inscription tablets flank a single central shield with strapwork decorating the apron. Above and set into a niche are a single kneeling male and female figure facing one another, with three further small damaged kneeling figures and a child in a cradle. Either side are single Ionic columns supporting an entablature with single outer decorative shields and a single central larger shield set into an arched and cusped niche.

The south wall has an early 17th-century memorial to Will St. Andrew and his wives, with some strapwork under the inscription tablets. Set into a recess above are two female kneeling figures with four further small kneeling figures. Each of the larger figures has an arch over with decorated spandrels. Either side are composite columns supporting an entablature. Above and set into an arched niche is a single kneeling male figure, with the arch supported on pilaster strips and decorated with strapwork. Over is a single decorative shield.

Two 17th-century floor slabs are present in the chancel.

The north aisle roof has chamfered beams with 16th-century moulded beams. The south aisle roof has 17th-century chamfered beams.

A wall tablet in the north aisle details the re-pewing of the church and the church wardens, 1835.

The west nave has two 19th-century slate wall tablets.